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Research in Other Countries => Europe => Topic started by: julkes on Wednesday 26 January 11 19:30 GMT (UK)

Title: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: julkes on Wednesday 26 January 11 19:30 GMT (UK)
We are trying to find out anything but particularly the death date of the first Russian Tennis champion - George Wassilievich Bray.

He was born July 4, 1880 and in the early 20-s of the 20 century he moved to England. It is known that in the 1930-40s he lived at 22, Nevern Mansions, Warwick Rd. S.W. 5, London - most probably rented accomodation as he is not mentioned in any lists.

He is believed to have died after the war in England but we cannot find anything else.
Would be very grateful for any leads.
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: jorose on Thursday 27 January 11 13:42 GMT (UK)
http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/
shows (if you search for 22 Nevern Mansions), naturalisations for George Walter Bray of that address in 1927 and four children.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/ also turns the same record up (minus the address). The file is currently closed (probably as some of the children may still be living).

(PM sent with some other info)

Jorose
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: seamike on Sunday 30 January 11 20:58 GMT (UK)
George Wassilievich Bray, 1913-1917 Vice-President, Director of Russian-English Bank (St. Petersburg), treasurer of Krestovskiy Lawn-tennis club (St. Petersburg)

He won:

Singles:
1902-1909 - Championship of Moscow
1904-1906 - Championship of St. Petersburg
1907 - First Russian Championship
1908 - Championship of St. Petersburg
1909 - Russian Championship

Doubles:
1901, 1907 - Championship of Moscow, with A. Petrokokino
1904 - Championship of St. Petersburg, with A. Petrokokino
1906 -  Championship of St. Petersburg, with G. Bears,
1906, 1907 - Championship of St. Petersburg, with A. Petrokokino
1908, 1909 - Championship of Moscow, with his brother V. Bray
1908-1911 - Championship of St. Petersburg, V. Bray,
1914 - Championship of Moscow, with Robert A. Macpherson
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: seamike on Sunday 30 January 11 21:01 GMT (UK)
In 1912 he was a cashier at Russian and English Bank (St. Petersburg)
The last signature on the bearer share
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: julkes on Sunday 30 January 11 21:26 GMT (UK)
Hi, Mike

thanks for the info.
We are searching on behalf of a person from Moscow.
It is extremely interesting but after Bray (de Bray?) moved to England there is not much information...
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: seamike on Sunday 30 January 11 22:19 GMT (UK)
Another Russian tennis player with English roots is Robert A. Macpherson, with whom George Bray won 1914 Moscow doubles.

Son of Arthur Macpherson whose ancestors came to Russia in early XIX century. Arthur Macpherson (1870-1919) was himself the first Chairman of All-Russian Union of lawn-tennis clubs 1903-1917), Football Union (1912-1913) and member of Russian Olympic Committee (1911-1913).
When World War I started, Robert Macpherson and his elder brother Arthur joined British Army (they were British subjects) in 1915.

In May 1916 Robert Macpherson as a Second Lieutenant, 8th Cameron Highlanders was in the Staff of Lord Kitchener during his visit to Russia on board of H.M.S. Hampshire. On June 6, 1916 H.M.S. Hampshire was sunk to the West of Orkneys. Nobody survived. Robert Macpherson was 19.

Sorry for very poor quality of the photo.
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia - COMPLETED
Post by: julkes on Tuesday 29 March 11 18:31 BST (UK)
Hello everybody!
Glad to inform that the tennisist is buried in the West Norwood Cemetery in London.
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: newmark401 on Friday 02 December 11 21:47 GMT (UK)
Hello,

I am looking for some results from the early Russian lawn tennis tournaments, namely the Russian Championships, the Championships of Moscow and the Championships of Saint Petersburg.

I am looking in particular for the men's singles, women's singles and mixed doubles final results from these tournaments, from their beginning up until the First World War.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

Mark
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: seamike on Friday 02 December 11 22:00 GMT (UK)
Hello Mark,

Just send two more posts, even 1 or 2 words, so you can send and receive PMs.
I have this information that you need
Cheers
Mike
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: seamike on Saturday 03 December 11 17:46 GMT (UK)
Russian Championship
Singles
1907 - Bray G.V. (Krestovskiy L-T Club)
1908 - Prince Urusov L.V. (Krestovskiy L-T Club)
1909 - Bray G.V. (Krestovskiy L-T Club)
1910 - Count Sumarokov-Elston M.N. (Petrograd Tennis Circle)
1911 - Count Sumarokov-Elston M.N. (Petrograd Tennis Circle)
1912 - Count Sumarokov-Elston M.N. (Petrograd Tennis Circle)
1913 - Count Sumarokov-Elston M.N. (Petrograd Tennis Circle)
1914 - Count Sumarokov-Elston M.N. (Petrograd Tennis Circle)
1915 - no Champinoship
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: seamike on Saturday 03 December 11 18:55 GMT (UK)
Doubles
1907 - Ventzeli Rob.A and Ventzeli Rud. A. (Petrograd Tennis Circle)
1908 - Bray G.V. and Bray V.V. (Krestovskiy L-T Club)
1909 - Bray G.V. and Bray V.V. (Krestovskiy L-T Club)
1910 - Bray G.V. and Bray V.V. (Krestovskiy L-T Club)
1911 - Bray G.V. and Bray V.V. (Krestovskiy L-T Club)
1912 - Count Salm L. and Count Sumarokov-Elston M.N. (Petrograd Tennis Circle)
1913 - Dickson K. P. and Preble A.D. (Dulwich)
1914 - Macpherson II A.A. and Macpherson III Robert A. (Krestovskiy L-T Club)
1915 - no Champinoship
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: newmark401 on Wednesday 07 December 11 15:02 GMT (UK)
Hi, Mike,

Thanks for putting up the names of those winners from the Russian Championships. I presume you don't have the runners-up or any of the scores from the final matches (I e-mailed you about this a few days ago). Would you mind me asking what your source for the winners' names is?

Do you have the name of any of the winners of the women's singles title at the Russian Championships or at the Saint Petersburg and Moscow tournaments? Or of the mixed doubles from any of those tournaments (from their beginning up to the start of World War One)?

Regards

Mark
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: newmark401 on Wednesday 14 December 11 15:50 GMT (UK)
Hi,

I see that there were three Brays - George, Vladimir and Albert. However, I'm not exactly sure what relation they were to each other. Were they brothers, cousins, father and sons, uncle and sons??

Any help would be appreciated.

Mark
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: Jane Dearmun on Friday 21 July 17 13:40 BST (UK)
These are my family - Walter v bray was my gg Grandad and was married into the lessners who used to work for branobel and I have their photos and the pocket watch the bray brothers won for tennis.
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: Jane Dearmun on Friday 21 July 17 13:44 BST (UK)
They are my family - Walter bray was my grandad and his dad and grandad were from Russia - Walter bray married Margit lessner who's father was Arthur lessner and worked for branobel oil company x they used to live in Villa tusculum- in weimar which was designed by thilo schoder - I have Walter v brays tennis gold pocket watch awarded to him for winning the doubles x
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: Jane Dearmun on Friday 21 July 17 13:46 BST (UK)
Arthur lessner and Hildegard lessner, had Margit lessner who married George bray and then had Walter xxx
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: seamike on Sunday 23 July 17 02:48 BST (UK)
Jane,  I have sent you De Bray's grandson contact via FB messenger
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: Adrian Bray on Thursday 10 August 17 23:27 BST (UK)
George Walter Bray is a distant relative - His great grandfather was my great-great-great grandfather. There was a whole colony of Brays living in Petersburg in the later 19th centruty until 1918.  George played doubles with his second cousin Walter Vassilyevich (my grandfather).  Somewhere there is a photograph of the two of them playing together on the courts on Kristovsky island.  Both were extremely tall and thin.  I remember George's son Laurie - also very tall - playing tennis with my father Peter. Tennis was big with them all, and another cousin was a professional in London.
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: sunshine5809 on Monday 13 August 18 18:24 BST (UK)
Hi.......You may have already received the information you were looking for with regards to George Walter Bray's DOD but in the chance that you have not, this link will take you to a couple of pages with regards to the tennis player.  He died in South Kensington on Sept 1, 1954 and was cremeated at Norwood Sept 3rd.  He is buried in the Bray family grave in Norwood.  There is a photo of him and also of the grave site. It states that the Bray family grave had been recently refurbished.

 https://www.fownc.org/pdf/newsletter90.pdf   - pages 7 and 8.
Title: Re: Tennisist Bray from Russia
Post by: Scaurbank on Thursday 28 September 23 19:36 BST (UK)
 George Walter Bray

Birth
    4 Jul 1888
    Saint Petersburg, Saint Petersburg Federal City, Russia
Death
    1 Sep 1954 (aged 66)
    England
Burial
 
    West Norwood, London Borough of Lambeth, Greater London, England
Memorial ID
    67619904 ·